This invention relates to thermal energy storage and transfer systems and more particularly to systems that include solar energy collector means disposed to receive incident solar energy and that are adapted for applications such as space heating, domestic hot water, air conditioning, and other similar applications.
Numerous solar energy collection and transfer systems have been proposed. However, the effectiveness of such systems when combined with heat pump technology systems has been limited due to the interconnection relationships between the heat pump and energy storage components of such systems. An object of this invention is to provide improved thermal energy storage and transfer systems of the type that include solar energy collector means.